Category: Press Statements

The Fight for Justice for Communities of Color Continues, Advocates Tell Albany

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JOINT STATEMENT June 11, 2021 Contact: Rachel Cohen, rachel@immdefense.org, 917-370-8464 The Fight for Justice for Communities of Color Continues, Advocates Tell Albany Justice Roadmap Celebrates Key Wins, But More Is Needed to End Criminalization of Black, Brown and Immigrant Communities ALBANY, NY — As the 2021 legislative session comes to a […]

Immigration Advocates Condemn “Disappearance” of Detained Clients After Sudden ICE Transfers, Refusal to Provide Any Information

June 7, 2021 Contacts: Alejandra Lopez, The Legal Aid Society, AILopez@legal-aid.org, 917-294-9348 Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services, dball@bds.org Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org Yatziri Tovar, Make the Road New York, yatziri.tovar@maketheroadny.org, 917-771-2818 ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Immigration Advocates Condemn “Disappearance” of Detained Clients After Sudden ICE Transfers, Refusal to Provide Any Information   In Letter to […]

Family Defense Advocates Urge Albany to Reform Family Regulation System

(NEW YORK, NY) – Impacted parents and advocates from across New York State today called on lawmakers in Albany to pass three critical bills that they say will help counter the racial-based surveillance inherent in the family regulation system, and empower Black and brown families. They voiced their demands during a press conference (passcode: %7E5nJ&7) […]

Statement from The Exoneration Project, Legal Aid and Others on DAs Vance & Clark’s Announcement to Vacate Criminal Convictions in Cases Where Evidence of Guilt was Purportedly Obtained or Produced by Corrupt Former NYPD Detective Joseph E. Franco

April 15, 2021  Contact: Karen Newirth The Exoneration Project 718-490-0028 karen@exonerationproject.org Redmond Haskins The Legal Aid Society 929-441-2384 rhaskins@legal-aid.org  ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***  (NEW YORK, NY) – The Exoneration Project, The Legal Aid Society, The Bronx Defenders, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, New York County Defender Services, The Office of the Appellate Defender and The Center […]

NY Supreme Court Rules Incarcerated People Must be Offered COVID Vaccine Immediately

NY Supreme Court Rules Incarcerated People Must be Offered COVID Vaccine Immediately Judge sides with public defenders and advocates in suit, says state’s exclusion of incarcerated people from vaccine eligibility is unconstitutional March 29, 2021 CONTACT Sam McCann, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (smccann@ndsny.org) Arianna Fishman, New York Civil Liberties Union (afishman@nyclu.org) Redmond Haskins, The […]

The Bronx Defenders Praise Introduction of Marijuana Legalization Agreement

(ALBANY) – Lawmakers announced last night that they have a deal on a bill that will legalize marijuana in New York. Eli Northrup, Policy Counsel for the Criminal Defense Practice at  The Bronx Defenders, issued the following reaction:  “We are extremely happy to see that the bill announced closely mirrors the framework of the Marijuana Regulation […]

Bronx Defenders Statement on de Blasio Police Reform Plan

NEW YORK – The City Council voted today to approve and endorse Mayor de Blasio’s proposed police ‘reform and reinvention’ plan for New York City as mandated by Governor Cuomo’s executive order 203. Justine Olderman, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders, issued the following response: “The Mayor’s police ‘reform’ plan and process has been flawed […]